Opioids

Abuse-deterrent opioid formulations have not yet been widely accepted despite their proposed value in reducing opioid abuse and related mortality. Many of the current barriers to broader use are related to their higher cost compared with conventional formulations.

Individuals taking opioids were found to be more likely to report physical and mental health issues and to have more frequent dealings with the criminal justice system compared with individuals not taking opioids.

A panel discussion event held at the US Food and Drug Administration gathered patients with chronic pain and FDA officials, to reconcile concerns around prescriptions of opioid medications with the needs of these patient populations.

In a statement, Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, said, "It is time to make sure more people have access to this lifesaving medication, because 77 percent of opioid overdose deaths occur outside of a medical setting and more than half occur at home."

Although registration in prescription drug monitoring programs was shown to lead to statewide declines in high-risk opioid prescriptions, these declines were similar to those observed in non-PDMP registrants.